October 2011 Asthma Adviceline Case Study
Anne, the mother of five year old Michael phoned to enquire if it would be a good idea to give her child the ‘flu vaccine this year.
Michael had been a really well baby and sailed through the ‘swine flu’ epidemic unscathed. Anne had brought him to the HSE clinic for the H1N1 vaccine in April 2010, as vaccination was recommended for the whole community, but she had not brought him for the winter flu vaccine in October 2010 as she felt that there was no real reason for Michael to receive this vaccine.
However in the past few months Michael developed night-time cough and occasional wheeze after a summer chest infection and has a recent diagnosis of asthma, for which he takes Beclazone 50mcgs 11 puffs morning and night and Ventolin inhaler as needed. He is quite well controlled on this regime and his GP has recommended that he have the flu vaccine when it becomes available. Anne wants to know is this really necessary?
Asthma Nurse Advice
Generally immunisation not only protects the health of the individual, but also contributes to the protection of the whole community. Vaccination is for the common good of all and particularly for the greater good of vulnerable individuals i.e. the elderly, the very young and people with any chronic medical condition.
Vaccination has been the single most effective method of reducing infant mortality worldwide and it has eliminated some conditions i.e. smallpox and diphtheria. It has significantly reduced the number of chest infections, morbidity and hospital admissions for many conditions. In Ireland the most recent vaccinations, HIB and PCV, have lowered the rate of pneumonia in children dramatically, while the Men C vaccine has reduced the rate of Meningitis C by 90% since its introduction in 2000.
There is very strong medical evidence to support vaccination for all children and particularly for children with chest conditions.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways and can be triggered by a variety of factors or triggers, the most common being colds, flu and viral infections. If exposure to these triggers can be reduced at all, it is a worthwhile exercise to try. Having asthma (or any chest condition) means that there is even more reason to be immunised with the ‘flu vaccine and thus protected from some potential triggers.
When enough parents opt out of immunizing their child, infections increase in unimmunised or otherwise unprotected children. Therefore people with moderate to severe asthma SHOULD receive the influenza vaccination when it is advised for the general population.
